Where we are
The road ahead, updated as each step happens.
Weekly Updates
Posted 10-12-2026
A pastoral candidate will be on campus the last week of this month to meet with our Personnel Team and Ministry Staff. If these meetings go well, he will be introduced to the church soon, in keeping with our bylaws. We are grateful for your continued prayers as we wait on the Lord and trust His timing through every step of this process.
Prayer Points
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14
- Pray that our church family would wait on the Lord with patience and courage, and not hurry toward an answer He hasn’t yet given.
- Pray for the candidate and his family as they prepare for this visit, that they would also be free to wait on God’s direction and find peace in His leading, whatever the outcome.
- Pray that this season of waiting would become a season of growing, as God deepens our trust in Him and draws us closer together in prayer.
- Pray for Bro. Don as he continues to shepherd us through these final months, and that his example of faithfulness would remind us that God has been at work in this church long before this moment and will be long after.
Posted 10-5-2026
The pastoral staff and personnel team have scheduled a meeting with a prospective candidate for the end of this month. At the same time, preparations are moving forward this fall to select a pastoral search team, should one become necessary. We are grateful for your faithfulness in prayer during this season.
Prayer Points
- Pray for the pastors and personnel team as they prepare to meet with a prospective candidate at the end of this month, that they would listen well, ask wise questions, and be sensitive to the Spirit's leading.
- Pray for patience across our staff and church family as we wait on God's timing rather than our own.
- Pray for our associate pastors and staff as they carry additional responsibilities, that God would give them strength, guard their families, and keep ministry flourishing.
- Pray for unity in our church body, that our conversations about this transition will be gracious, hopeful, and centered on Christ.
Posted 9-29-2026
Our pastoral leadership will visit with a prospective candidate in the coming weeks. Should the meeting with this candidate, our pastors, and our personnel team go well, the candidate will then be introduced to the church body, in keeping with our bylaws (section 3, article A). You can find more detail on this process in our bylaws, linked at the top and bottom of this page.
Prayer Points
We covet your continued prayers as we trust the Spirit's guidance through each step of this process.
- Pray for clarity and unity among the pastoral staff as they continue meeting with a prospective candidate, that the Spirit would make His will plain to everyone involved.
- Pray for the candidate and his family, wherever they are in this process, as they discern whether God is calling them to Central Church.
Posted 9-23-2026
After 47 years of faithful leadership and ministry, Bro. Don Chandler has announced that his time as the Senior Pastor at Central Church is coming to a close this year. We are thankful for his many years of service to God’s kingdom and this church. His current anticipated final day in the pulpit is January 3, 2027 where he will give his final State of the Church address. The pastoral staff and personnel team have been working to ensure that this transition time happens smoothly and under the Spirit’s guidance.
1. Our Two Paths
Our bylaws provide for 2 paths for selecting a new Senior Pastor:
Option 1 – The Senior Pastor, with the assistance of the associate pastoral staff, may help search for a new lead pastor to recommend to the church.
Option 2 – A Pastoral search team is established in the absence of a lead pastor. Our bylaws describe the make-up of this team and their responsibilities.
This year, Bro. Don and the pastors have considered several potential candidates and are in continuing talks with individuals. This avenue of search (option 1) is still ongoing while Bro. Don remains in the role of Senior Pastor.
However, if God does not make it clear who should be our next senior pastor before Bro. Don’s tenure ends, a pastoral search team will be necessary. Preparations to select this team will proceed this fall in the event it becomes necessary to activate the team.
Option 1 – The Senior Pastor, with the assistance of the associate pastoral staff, may help search for a new lead pastor to recommend to the church.
Option 2 – A Pastoral search team is established in the absence of a lead pastor. Our bylaws describe the make-up of this team and their responsibilities.
This year, Bro. Don and the pastors have considered several potential candidates and are in continuing talks with individuals. This avenue of search (option 1) is still ongoing while Bro. Don remains in the role of Senior Pastor.
However, if God does not make it clear who should be our next senior pastor before Bro. Don’s tenure ends, a pastoral search team will be necessary. Preparations to select this team will proceed this fall in the event it becomes necessary to activate the team.
2. Our Team
Our bylaws stipulate that a pastoral search team is comprised of 9 people consisting of 2 representatives from the Associate Pastoral staff, 2 representatives from the personnel team, 2 representatives from the deacon body, and 3 representatives from the congregation. The pastoral staff, deacons, and personnel team will select their representatives this fall. The congregation will have the opportunity to nominate members to serve as the congregational representatives. The nominations will be tallied and the 3 nominees receiving the most votes who are willing and able to serve will be presented to the church for a vote at the annual business conference. This will enable the team to begin initial discussions in December and then move into full activity provided there is a vacancy in the senior pastor role.
3. Our Commitment
The current associate pastoral staff is diligently assuming additional responsibilities around the church. This will ensure that ministry does not wane during our search for our next lead pastor. We are confident that God has someone prepared to lead His church. Our responsibility is to pray, seek his counsel, ask for the Spirit’s guidance, and trust His plan and timing. During this season, we ask the church family to commit to prayer, unity, and faithfulness in support of the staff and ministries of the church.
How the process works
From our 9/23 announcement. Tap a section to read more.
Our Two Paths
Our bylaws provide for 2 paths for selecting a new Senior Pastor:
Option 1 – The Senior Pastor, with the assistance of the associate pastoral staff, may help search for a new lead pastor to recommend to the church.
Option 2 – A Pastoral search team is established in the absence of a lead pastor. Our bylaws describe the make-up of this team and their responsibilities.
This year, Bro. Don and the pastors have considered several potential candidates and are in continuing talks with individuals. This avenue of search (option 1) is still ongoing while Bro. Don remains in the role of Senior Pastor.
However, if God does not make it clear who should be our next senior pastor before Bro. Don’s tenure ends, a pastoral search team will be necessary. Preparations to select this team will proceed this fall in the event it becomes necessary to activate the team.
Option 1 – The Senior Pastor, with the assistance of the associate pastoral staff, may help search for a new lead pastor to recommend to the church.
Option 2 – A Pastoral search team is established in the absence of a lead pastor. Our bylaws describe the make-up of this team and their responsibilities.
This year, Bro. Don and the pastors have considered several potential candidates and are in continuing talks with individuals. This avenue of search (option 1) is still ongoing while Bro. Don remains in the role of Senior Pastor.
However, if God does not make it clear who should be our next senior pastor before Bro. Don’s tenure ends, a pastoral search team will be necessary. Preparations to select this team will proceed this fall in the event it becomes necessary to activate the team.
Our Team
Our bylaws stipulate that a pastoral search team is comprised of 9 people consisting of 2 representatives from the Associate Pastoral staff, 2 representatives from the personnel team, 2 representatives from the deacon body, and 3 representatives from the congregation. The pastoral staff, deacons, and personnel team will select their representatives this fall. The congregation will have the opportunity to nominate members to serve as the congregational representatives. The nominations will be tallied and the 3 nominees receiving the most votes who are willing and able to serve will be presented to the church for a vote at the annual business conference. This will enable the team to begin initial discussions in December and then move into full activity provided there is a vacancy in the senior pastor role.
Our Commitment
The current associate pastoral staff is diligently assuming additional responsibilities around the church. This will ensure that ministry does not wane during our search for our next lead pastor. We are confident that God has someone prepared to lead His church. Our responsibility is to pray, seek his counsel, ask for the Spirit’s guidance, and trust His plan and timing. During this season, we ask the church family to commit to prayer, unity, and faithfulness in support of the staff and ministries of the church.